The Dillon tribune., 1887-02-11
CHAPTER XIV.
IN THE HOSPITAL.

tItI1I.II AlN.
iS THE HOSPITAL
An srn,y ho.pital i; the vcstibulr Of the
cemetery, the aI!,,-rnm where The recruit
ing agents OF death wounds and disease
assemble their conscripts to prepare them for
tho ranks from which there is neither Ie.
scrtion nor discharge,
It was n b,nilinS hot day when Rachel
Bond descended from the ambulance which
had brought her from the station to camp
Sho shielded her eyes with palm leaf fan,
and surveyed tho surroundings OF the post OF
duty to which she had l,een assigned. She
found herself in little city of rough plank
barracks, arranged in geonletrically correct
streets and angles about u great plain of u
parade ground, from which the heat radiated
a from glowing stove. A flag dropped as
il wilted from tho top OF q tall pole standing
on the side Of the parade ground opposite her.
Tho hospital to which Rachel lad been
brought differed from the rest of the sheds in
tho camp by leing wbitewas),ctl within and
without, which made it radiato still more
uncndurable heat than its duller-lustered
companions 4 powerful otior OF chloride Of
limo and carbolic acid shocked her sensitive
nostrils will, their tales Of all the repulsive-
ness those ,isinfcctants were intended to de-
stroy or hide.
Severaldcjecte,l. hollow-eyed convalcscents.
whose uniforms hung about their wasted
bodies as they would about wooden crosses,
rat on benches in the scanty shade by one side
of the building, and famed themselves weakly
with fans clun,sily fashioned ftoE, cd news
paucrs. They looked up rs the TRIM lady-liEc
figure stepped lightly tlo"n from tho ;'ii'!'u-
lance, and the long absent lustcr returned
briefly to their sad eyes.
sThat looks like home, Jin,," said ono OF
tho fever wasted.
"That IL docs. Lord! she looks as fresh and
sweet rs the Johnny-jump-ups down ny oar
old spring house. expect she's como down
hero to find somebody that belong. to her
that's sick. Don't wish it was nle''
VI wouldn't mind being brother, or u
cousin, or a sweetheart to her myself Thatd
bo better luck than to bc given sutler shop.
Just SEQ her move! She's got II purifier gait
than our thoroughbred colt"
"You'ro a.talking. She's lady-nvcry
all wool. yard wide, az fine az silk and
bright as May morning."
"And US wholesome as spring sunshine"
All unconscious that her appearance was to
the invalids who looked upon her like a
sweet, health giving breeze bursting through
taintesl atmosphere, Rachel passed wcarily
along tue burning walks toward the surgeons
Office, with growing heart sickness ut tho
unwclcouc appearance ut the task she had
elected for herself
Tho journey had been full Of irritating dis
comforts. Heat, dust and soial linen arc
only annoyanccs to Il man: they arc real
miserieS to Il woman.
Ushcrrd into tho surgeons cf!icc >!lc was
presented to DR.. Denslow, ha2el-eyed,
browl,bcn,,lcd man of 50. The reader has
already made his acquaintance. He re-
ceivcd llcr with tho pleasant, manly sympa-
thy for her sex. which had already made him
ono Of tho most popular OF family physicians
il tho city where he was practicing at the
outbreak Of the war.
l.achcls depressed spirits rose n.:nim ut his
cordial reception.
II am so busy" he said, after II brief TX.
change Of con,n!onpaces, 'that Ill not have
the tinio to rivo you much information this
afternoon cs to your duties, and know that
you are so iatiSuc,l with your journey und
tho heat that You will not care to do any thing
but rest and refresh yourself. I will there
fore show you Immediately To your quarters.
"Ths will he your field Of labor,' llc said
Us ho led her down the long aislo bctwce,
rows Of cots toward her room. "It'.; not
cheerful ono to contemplate ut first Ilulna,
suffering is always II depressing spectacle
and you will SEQ hero more Of it ard r:or
varied agony than YOU can find anywhcr
outside of an army hospitals walls But Il
tlSn sva vi .. t,,t .l,,t,-
doing it,
So earnest was his enthusiasm that Rac,,e
felt herself lifted up by it, in spite Of her dis
comforts i'ut then shc turned her eve
away from his imlmssionatctl face, and locke
over the array Of white beds, each with il
pale and l,aggard occupant, his eyes Llazin
with tn" delirium of fever, or closed in I'll
IanG'or of exhaustion, with limbs tossin, &
tho tebric fir, sccthed tho b!coi, uv culver
inS with the last agonics. Gruas, IRA,
crs and not II few oatl,s fe, On her ear
The repulsivc smell Of the t!isinfcctants, Il
nauscating cdor Of the sick rocu, whe]
hundreds of invalls We're lying, tho horrib
efiluvia of tho typhus rose on the hot air, ar
seemed ;art Of the misery which so stron:l
nssailed her other senses.
Shc was sick ut heart. and with every fee
ing III active revolt, hut without u word, 81
turned and followed DR.. Dcnslow to he
close, little room which had been cut on o
end Of the hospital, though not 40 slarat
from it but that the sounds and alors tro
tho sick wards continually tilterxi in thrpu,
tho wide cracks in its plank sides. An ir,
bclstead, Of the same pattern ~ that up
which the sick lay, stood in one corner, ~
IN another was y rudely fashioned star
upon which was a tin basin, a cake of yell,
bar soap, anu a bucket Of water for w:,shr
This was all the furniture.
As the door closed behind tis .loct,
Rachel threw herself upon the cot, in tit
despair at the wMck Of all her fancics, a
tho responsiveness of tho career upon viii
she had embarked
II cannot will not--li,e here u wee
sho said to herself, over and over again
will die for tho lack Of the co:nfo,t*-.ci
'leccncics Of life, evcn--to say nothing